Game apparatus



. 5, 1933. A. L. PAULIN ET AL GAME APPARATUS Filed Jan. 19, 1932 5Sheets-Sheet 1 JM/Jw, M

Dec. 5, 1933;

A. L. PAULIN Er AL 1,938,495

GAME APPARATUS Filed Jan. 19. 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 20 va o Dec. 5,1933. UN r AL 1,938,495

GAME APPARATUS Filed Jan. 19, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Dec. 5, 1933. A L,PAULIN r AL 1,938,495

GAME APPARATUS Filed Jan. 19, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 9% 6 g y/M 7 4: 0%

Dec. 5, 1933. PAULIN ET AL 1,938,495

GAME APPARATUS Filed Jan. 19, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 49 40 I 45 7 ANy/vmpPatented Dec. 5, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GAME APPARATUSApplication January 19, 1932. Serial No. 587,550

23 Claims.

This invention relates to game apparatus, and more particularly tocoin-controlled amusement devices of the surface projectile type. Thegame comprises a cabinet having a glass top under which is disposed aboard or deck, having a plurality of holes therein and also carrying aplurality of upstanding pins. A projector is arranged at one side of theboard for shooting or projecting balls over the board.

Games of this general type have long been old and well known. An objectof the present invention, however, is to devise a game of this characterin which improved means for collecting and returning the balls toprojecting position are provided. Another object is to devise improvedmeans whereby the balls, after having been projected, are impounded inthe apparatus and can only be released for further play by the depositof a coin. Other objects are to provide improved details or"construction, with a view to making the apparatus certain and positivein operation, so that the deposit of a coin will always result in thereleasing of a definite number of balls, and so that it will beimpossible to release the balls by any means other than a suitable coin.

The present application constitutes a continuation in part ofapplication Serial No. 528,474, filed April 8, 1931.

In order that the invention may be readily understood, reference is hadto the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and inwhich:

Fig. l is a plan view or our improved game apparatus, complete;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan, on an enlarged scale, of the operating endof the apparatus, the top panels being removed to show the mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the parts in a difierent position;

Fig. 5 is a view looking into the end of the cabinet, the end wall beingremoved, and parts being shown in section;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation on an enlarged scale of one endof the cabinet, the outer panel being removed to show the elevatingmechanism;

Fig. 7 is a vertical section substantially on the line 7-7 of Fig. 5,looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 8 is a vertical section substantially on the line 8--8 of Fig. 3,looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 9 is a central longitudinal section substantially on the line 9-9of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 10 is a transverse section substantially on the line 10-10 of Fig.1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figs. 11, 12 and 13 are inverted plan views on an enlarged scale,showing the under side of the improved coin mechanism, parts being shownin section, and the elements being illustrated in successively differentpositions in the three views;

Fig. 14 is a longitudinal section substantially on the line 14-44 ofFig. 12, the mechanism, however, being shown right side up; and

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary similar section substantially on the linel5--15 of Fig. 12, the parts, N however, being shown in a slightlyfurther advanced position.

Referring to the drawings in detail, our improved apparatus comprises acabinet 1 which may be conveniently made of wood, and as shown, 7: ispreferably higher at one end than the other, so as to present aninclined upper edge, as shown in Fig. 2. The top of the cabinet isclosed by means of a glass or other transparent panel 2, whichcompletely encloses the playing surface.

Beneath this glass panel is rigidly mounted a board or deck 3, which ispreferably inclined, as shown. The upper end of this deck is surroundedby a semi-circular upstanding flange or shoulder, preferably formed by ablock 4, which fills in the corners of the cabinet, as illustrated inFig. l, the curved edge of this block being lined or faced with a strip5 of smooth wear resisting material such as sheet metal.

Extending parallel with one side of the cabinet is an upstanding rib orflange 6, spaced from the adjacent side wall a short distance so as toform a ball channel 7 open at its upper end.

The board or deck 3 is provided with a plurality of holes or openingsextending therethrough, and preferably located as shown in Fig. 1, someof these being round, as illustrated at 8, and others being oblong, asshown at 9. These holes are of such a size as to freely permit balls 10to pass therethrough. A number of these balls in different positions areshown in the drawings.

Set into and projecting up from the surface of the board or deck 3 are aplurality of pins. One of these, located in the position indicated at11, in Fig. l, is highly resilient, and serves as a spring bufferagainst which the balls impinge and from which they bounce. The otherpins indicated at 12, are substantially rigid. Some are scattered overthe board, while others are preferably formed into circular groups, suchas illustrated at 12", 12', 12 and 12 in Figure 1. It will beparticularly noted that one of these groups, such as shown at 12'',comprises parallel rows of pins forming a ball channel between them, andthat one of the holes 8 is located at the lowermost point of thischannel. Other arrangements of pins may, of course, be employed withoutdeparting from the invention.

13 designates a post which rises from the center of the deck 12 andserves to support the glass panel 2.

At the lower end of the ball channel 7 is disposed a. shooter orprojector. This preferably comprises a plunger 14 working freely throughthe end wall of the cabinet and having an operating knob 15 on its outerend. The plunger is surrounded by a helical spring 16, which forces itforward, and a cushion 17 of sponge rubber or the like is preferablyinterposed between the knob 15 and the cabinet to deaden the noise ofthe impact.

Immediately beneath the board 3 is slidably mounted a panel or gate 18,supported on strips 18. This panel has a plurality of holescorresponding with the holes 8 and 9 in the board 3 and adapted toregister therewith. When this gate or panel is in the position shown in,Figs. 3 and 9, the holes are out of registry with the holes in theboard, and the latter are closed, thus constituting ball seats. The gateis normally held in this position by means of springs 18 attached. atone end to the panel and at the other end to the side walls of thecabinet. These springs are preferably enclosed by arcuate guards orshields 18.

Across the cabinet adjacent the operating end thereof extends a wall orpartition 19, which separates the playing field from the operatingmechanism. The board 3 terminates a little short of this partition sothat a space 20 is provided between the edge 3 of the board and thepartition, this space being of such size that the balls can pass throughit. The right hand portion of this space, however, as viewed in Fig. l,or the lower portion, as viewed in Figs. 3 and 4, is closed by aninclined strip 21. When the gate or panel 18 is in its normal position,as shown in Fig. 3, it abuts against the partition 19 and thus extendsunder the opening 20 and closes the same. Therefore, any balls whichroll down the board or deck 3, and which do not enter the seats or holes8 or 9, find their way into the opening 20, in which they are supportedby the gate 18, and accumulate there. It will also be noted that theballs which roll down on the right hand side of the board, as viewed inFig. 1, adjacent the strip or rib 6, encounter the inclined element 21by which they are directed toward the left hand side of the board andinto the opening 20.

Underneath the board 3 and gate 18 is disposed a fixed bottom or floor22, also inclined as shown. The halls falling through the registeringholes in the board and gate drop upon and roll down this inclined floor.In order to deflect these balls also toward the left hand side of thecabinet, as viewed in Fig. 1, we provide, in the space between the floorand gate, and adjacent the right hand corner of the board, an inclinedor curved deflector indicated in dotted lines by 23 in Figs. 3 and 4.This may either be a wooden block or a strip of sheet metal.

When the gate 18 is shifted from the position shown in Fig. 3 to theposition shown in Fig. 8, so as to cause the holes therein to registerwith screws 30 are removed, the panel 30 can be taken the holes in theboard, and thus open the latter, the end portion of the gate is alsowithdrawn from beneath the opening 20, and the balls previously retainedin this opening are released and discharged downwardly, it beingunderstood, of 84 course, that the balls are released simultaneouslyfrom the opening 20, and from the several openings 8 and 9 in the boardinto which the balls may have entered. When the balls are released, theyare discharged into a ball receiving trough 81 24, positioned below thefloor 22 and adjacent the opening 20, (see Fig. 8). Tube portions 25 and26 form a continuation of the trough 24, and constitute with it aninclined transversely extending runway of a length substantially equalto the full 9 width of the board. This is well shown in Figs.

3 and 5.

Disposed adjacent the lower end of this transversely extending runway ismechanism for elevating the balls therefrom and returning them 9 one ata time to projecting position. Many forms of elevating mechanism may beemployed, without departing from the spirit of the invention, but, asshown, our improved elevating means comprises a wheel or disc 27,secured to a shaft 10 28, to the other end of which is secured anoperating knob 29. This wheel or disc is confined between an inner wallor panel 27 and an outer wall or panel 30, the inner wall havingopenings at its top and bottom, as shown at 27 to permit the balls topass to the wheel and to be discharged therefrom. The panel 30 isremovable and is held in position on the outer wall of the cabinet, asby means of screws 30, which are received in holes 30 Inside of thiswooden panel is preferably disposed an inner panel 30, and a bearingblock 27 is secured to the ixmer face of the panel 27. The inner panel30 fits within a countersunk seat 1, as shown in Fig. 6. Thus, when the11 off and the wheel 27, with its shaft and operating knob, can bewithdrawn from the panel 2'? and bearing 27, and from a circular opening1 formed in the wall of the cabinet to receive it. The elevating wheel27 is provided with a pair of 15 oppositely disposed axially inclinedopenings or pockets 31, each adapted to receive a ball. By reason of theinclination of these pockets to the axis, it will be seen, from aninspection of Fig. 5, that when one of the pockets is in registry with15 the lower end of the tube 26, a ball can readily pass from such tubeinto said pocket and that the ball is retained in the pocket by reasonof the inclination of the latter. As the wheel is rotated by the knob29, and the pocket reaches the upper- 11 most position, which is fromthe tube 26, the inclination of the pocket is such that the ball rollsout of the same laterally and into the ball channel 7 immediately infront of the plunger 14, or, in other words, into projecting position.15

In order to enable the operator to determine when the pockets 31 comeinto registry with the tube 26, and when they reach the uppermost ordischarge position, a pair of diametrically opposed notches 32 ispreferably formed in the l edge of the wheel, and a spring detent 33 isarranged to snap into and out of these notches, as the wheel rotates,and thus, accurately position the pockets.

In order to prevent improper or unauthorized 1' use of the apparatus, aswill hereinafter more fully appear, it is necessary to prevent, attimes, the passage of balls down the runway 26 to the elevatingmechanism. We therefore provide a cut-off device for controlling thepassage of balls 1 through the tube or runway 26. As shown in Fig. '1,this comprises a pin 34 carried by a lever 35, pivoted at 37, to a fixedbracket and adapted. to project into the tube 26 through a hole in theside thereof. The normal position of the parts is as shown in Fig. 7,that'is to say, a position in which the pin 34 is withdrawn, leaving thetube or runway clear and permitting free passage of the balls along thesame. The pin 34 is held in such position by means of a plunger 38,slidably mounted in the partition wall 9, and engaged at its inner endby the edge of the gate or panel 18, which, in turn, it will beremembered, is held in the position shown in Figure '7 by means of thesprings 18 (see Fig. 1). When, however, the gate 18 is shifted back tothe position shown in Figs. 4 and 8, it is moved away from the plunger38, leaving this plunger free, and a spring 36, attached to the lever35, then serves to swing the lever on its pivot and project the pin 34into the tube 26, thus blocking the passage of balls therethrough. Whenthe gate 18 returns to normal position, it operates through the plunger38 to withdraw the pin 34, it being understood, of course, that thesprings l8 are stronger than the spring 36.

While we have shown this specific mechanism for operating the detent orcut-01f 34, it will, of course, be understood that the invention, in itsbroader aspects, is not limited to this particular mechanism, but thatmany different ways will suggest themselves to those skilled in the artby means or" which the cut-off or detent may be moved into operativeposition when the gate is shifted to ball releasing position.

Referring now to Figs. 3, 4 and 9, it will be seen that we secure ashort bar 39 tothe gate 18 at the lower edge thereof to constitute aconnection by means of which the gate may be operated. The outer end ofthis bar is pivotally connected to a lever 40, the remote end of whichis itself pivoted at 41 to a fixed bracket. The free end of the leveradjacent the bar 39 is provided with an elogated slot 42 (see Fig. 5).

Our improved game apparatus, above described, is operated by suitablecoin-controlled mechanism. A well known form of coin mechanism isillustrated in the drawings and comprises a fixed guide member 43,extending through an opening in the end wall of the cabinet andsupported thereon by means of an escutcheon plate 43 (see Figs. 11 to14) The side edges of the plate 43 are folded over on themselves, asshown at 43, to provide guide ways in which a manually movable slide 46is freely mounted. This slide has the usual coin pocket 4'7 formedtherein. The slide is normally locked by a suitable latch, (not shown),so that it cannot be operated so long as the coin pocket is empty. When,however, a coin of the requisite size and thickness is placed in thecoin pocket, this coin serves to release the latch and permit the slideto be pushed in, all as is well known in the art.

Secured to the guide plate 43, on the inside of the cabinet, is a horseshoe magnet 44, and beneath this magnet is fixed a stop member 45. Thisstop member is disposed immediately over a coin-discharge opening 50,formed in the plate 43, as clearly shown in Figs. 11, 14 and 15, suchopening being adapted to register with the coin pocket 47whentheslide46hascompleteditsstroke. The slide 46 has a slot 46 to fitover the stop 45. A proper coin, as indicated at m in Fig. 14, will dipunder the stop 45, as it reaches the opening 50,

and fall through such opening. Should, however, a magnetic slug be usedinstead of a coin, this slug will be held up by the magnet 44, so thatits edge will engage against the end of the stop 45, as shown at an inFig. 15, and further movement of the slide 46 will be thus prevented.

We adapt the above well-known form of coin mechanism to our specialpurposes, in the following manner. We secure to the inner end of theslide 46 a downwardly projecting stud or post 48, and we set into thispost a rearwardly extending rod or finger 49, disposed parallel with theplate 43, but spaced slightly therefrom, as shown in Fig. 14. Theseparts are assembled with the previously described game apparatus in sucha Way that the rod or finger 49 extends through the slot 42 in the endof the lever 40, and when the slide 46 is pushed in, the post 48 engagesthe side of the lever 40 and swings the same on its pivot, thus, throughthe medium of the bar 39, shifting the gate 18 to ball releasingposition. A slot 51 is, of course, provided in the plate 43, to permitthe passage of the post 48. Fig. 3 shows the mechanism in its normalposition, while Fig. 4 shows the parts in the position which they occupyafter the slide 46 has been pushed in. Figs. 11, 12, and 13 showsuccessive positions of the coin mechanism itself, the last viewillustrating the parts at substantially the end of the stroke of theslide 46, in which position the coin r is about to be discharged throughthe opening 50.

It will be noted that, with the mechanism so far described, the coinslide 46 is capable of considerable movement without shifting the gate18, and that the gate 18 is free to move entirely independent of thecoin slide. In other words, there is no positive coupling between thesetwo elements. This being the case, it has been found in practice that,by the use of a magnetic slug, it is possible to improperly operate,jam, or damage the apparatus. It will be seen that the stop 45 does notengage the slug as until the slide 46 has traveled beyond the positionshown in Fig. 12, that is to say, until after the post 48 has engagedthe lever 40 and thus started to move the gate 18. It has been foundthat if the coin slide, carrying such a slug, be pushed in withexcessive force and speed, the gate 18 will thereby be given such amomentum that, when the slide is suddenly arrested by the engagement ofthe slug with the stop 45, as shown in Fig. 15, the gate, by reason ofits momentum, will over run or continue to move, and thus movement maybe sufiicient to release the balls, or at least to jam them in theopenings.

In order to prevent releasing or jamming of the balls by the use of amagnetic slug, as above described, we provide means for positivelycoupling the gate and coin slide together during the last part of thestroke of the latter, so as to hold the gate against further movement,when the coin slide stops. This improved coupling means comprises amember 54, pivoted at 52 to a bracket 53, and having a pair of arms 55and 56 between which the end of the lever 40 is received and embracedwhen the coin mechanism is operated, as clearly shown in Figs. 11, 12and 13. That is to say, from about the position shown in Fig. 12, to theend of the stroke of the coin slide, as shown in Fig. 13, both the post48 and lever 40 lie within the space between the arms 55 and 56 of themember 54, and are thus positively coupled orbound together, so that itis impossible for the gate to over run the coin slide.

The coin slide is, of course, returned to the normal position shown inFig. 11 by the pressure of the lever 40 against the post 48, this leverbeing actuated by the springs 18 secured to the gate.

While we have shown coin mechanism of the sliding plate type, it will,of course, be understood that the invention, in its broader aspects, isnot limited to this specific mechanism, but that other types of coinmechanism may be employed. Whatever the exact construction, it will beunderstood that the invention comprises a movable gate and a normallylocked manually operated coin-controlled member operatively connectedwith such gate, whereby, upon the deposit of a coin, the gate may beshifted to ball releasing position.

Referring again to the cut-oiI device for the passage of balls down theinclined runway, so as to prevent them from being returned to theprojecting means, it will now be clear that the purpose of thisarrangement is to limit the number of balls made available to the playerupon the deposit of a coin. If it were not for some outoff device ofthis character, it would be possible, by holding the coin slide 46 inits innermost position, to maintain the gate in ball releasing position,so that the balls could be continuously projected over the board andwould continuously fall into the inclined runway and be returned toprojecting position. By reason of the cut-ofi device, however, it willbe seen that after the coin slide has been pushed in, only that numberof balls contained in the runway 26 between the cut-oil device 34 andthe elevating wheel can be brought up to projecting position, theremaining balls being held in the runway above or at the left of thecut-off device. In order to release these balls which are thus held inthe runway, it is necessary to again return the coin slide to normalposition, so as to withdraw the detent or cut-01f. It is thus impossiblefor a player to use more than the predetermined number of balls, foreach coin deposited.

While we have shown and described the cutofi device as being operatedthrough the medium of the gate 18, it will now be apparent that it is,in fact, operated by the coin slide 46, which in turn operates the gate.Control of the cutoff device by means of the coin mechanism is theessential thing, and it is obvious that, although we have shown thecut-off device as operated by the coin mechanism through the gate 18,the coin mechanism could easily be de signed to operate the cut-offdevice directly. In its broader aspects, therefore, the inventioncontemplates means for temporarily retaining the balls on the board,anda coin-controlled manually operated member for moving the retainingmeans to ball releasing position and at the same time interposing acut-ofi device in the runway to prevent the free passage of the ballsback toward projecting position.

When the coin :z: is discharged through the opening 50, in the plate 43of the coin mechanism, it falls into a funnel or hopper 5'7, and thenceinto a coin box 58, in which is'fitted a removable drawer 59, equippedwith a lock 60 (see Fig. 9).

In this connection, it will be noted that the cabinet 1 has no bottom,strictly speaking, the space between the walls being entirely open belowthe floor 22. The coin box 58 is fitted within this open space and isthus wholly concealed while at the same time readily accessiblewithout-disturbing any of the mechanism.

What we claim is;

1. Game apparatus comprising an inclined board down which balls may rollby gravity, means for projecting a ball toward the upper end of saidboard, a main inclined runway extending transversely of the boardadjacent the lower edge thereof, means at the lower end of said runwayfor elevating the ball into projecting position, and a reverselyinclined auxiliary runway at a higher level than said main runway andserving to direct the ball into the latter at a point spaced asubstantial distance from said elevating means.

2. Game apparatus comprising an inclined board down which balls may rollby gravity, means for projecting a ball toward the upper end of saidboard, an inclined runway extending transversely of the board below andadjacent the lower edge thereof, means communicating with the lower endof said runway and located at one side of the board for elevating theball into projecting position, and means for directing the ball awayfrom the side of the board where said elevating means is located anddelivering it into said runway at a point substantially spaced from saidelevating means.

3. Game apparatus comprising an inclined board having holestherethrough, means for projecting balls one at a time over said boardtoward the upper end thereof, an inclined floor beneath said board downwhich balls passing through said holes roll by gravity, an inclinedrunway extending transversely of the board below and adjacent the loweredge of said floor, means located at one side of the board adjacent thelower end of said runway, for elevating the balls into projectingposition, and means for defleeting away from that side of the boardadjacent said elevating means the balls rolling down said floor on thatside and directing them into the higher portions of said runway.

4. Game apparatus comprising a board having holes therethrough, meansfor projecting balls one at a time over said board, whereby such ballsmay enter said holdes, gate means movably mounted beneath said board andserving normally to support the balls within said holes, means formoving said gate means to release the held balls and permit them to fallthrough said holes, an inclined runway extending transversely of saidboard below the same and adapted to receive the balls passing throughsaid holes, means adjacent the lower end of said runway for elevatingthe balls one at a time into projecting position, and a cut-off deviceoperatively connected with said gate means and serving, when said gatemeans is in ball releasing position, to prevent tiepassage of balls downsaid runway to said elevating means.

5. Game apparatus comprising a board having holes therethrough, meansfor projecting balls one at a time over said board, whereby such ballsmay enter said holes, gate means movably mounted beneath said board andserving normally to support the balls wi'hin said holes, means formoving said gate means to release the held balls and permit them to fallthrough said holes, an inclined runway extending transversely of saidboard below the same and adapted to receive the balls passing throughsaid holes and direct .hem toward said projecting means, and a cutoif,device operatively connected with said gate means and serving, whensaid gate means is in ball releasing position, to block the passage ofballs down said runway and thus prevent their return to said projectingmeans.

6. Game apparatus comprising a board having holes therethrough, meansfor projecting balls one at a time over said board, whereby such ballsmay enter said holes, gate means movably mounted beneath said board andserving normally to support the balls within said holes, a normallylocked coin-controlled manually operated mem-- bar for moving said gatemeans to release the held balls and permit them to fallflthrough saidholes, an inclined runway extending transversely of said board below thesame and adapted to receive the balls passing through said holes, meansadjacent the lower end of said runway for elevating the balls one at atime into projecting position, and a cut-oil device associated with saidgate means and coin-controlled member and serving, when the latter isshifted to move said gate means into ball releasing position, to preventthe passage of balls down said runway to said elevating means.

7. Game apparatus comprising an inclined board having holestherethrough, means for projecting balls one at a time over said boardwhereby some of such balls may enter said holes, means for temporarilyretaining at the lower edge of the board such balls as do not pass intosaid holes, an inclined runway extending transversely of said boardbelow and adjacent the lower edge thereof, a slidably mounted memberoperatively associated with said ball retaining means, means wherebysaid member, when shifted, serves to operate said ball retaining meansto release the retained balls and discharge them into said runway, meansadjacent the lower end of said runway for elevating the balls intoprojecting position, and a cutoff device operatively connected with saidslidable member and serving, when said member is shifted to ballreleasing position, to prevent the passage of balls down said runway tosaid elevating means.

8. Game apparaius comprising an inclined board having holestherethrough, means for projecting balls one at a time over said boardwhereby some of such balls may enter said holes, means for temporarilyretaining at the lower edge of the board such balls as do not pass intosaid holes, an inclined runway extending transversely of said boardbelow and adjacent the lower edge thereof, a manually operated movablymounted coin-controlled member operatively associated with said ballretaining means, means whereby said member, when shifted, serves tooperate said ball retaining means to release the retained balls anddischarge them into said runway, means adjacent the lower end of saidrunway for elevating the balls into projecting position, and a cut-offdevice operatively connected with said coin-controlled member andserving, when said member is shifted to bail releasing position, toprevent the passage of balls down said runway to said elevating means.

9. Game apparatus comprising a board having holes therethrough, meansfor projecting balls one at a time over said board, whereby such ballsmay enter said holes, gate means movably mounted beneath said board andserving normally to support the balls within said holes, acoin-controlled, manually actuated, movable member for operating saidgate means to release the held balls and permit them to fall'throughsaid holes, an inclined runway extending transversely of said boardbelow the same and adapted to receive the balls passing through saidholes and direct them toward said projecting means and a cut-off deviceoperatively-connected with said coin-controlled member and serving, whensaid gate means is in ball releasing position, to block the passage ofsaid balls down said runway and thus prevent their return to saidprojecting means.

10. Game apparatus comprising a board having holes therethrough, meansfor projecting balls over said board, gate means movably mounted beneathsaid board, normally closing said holes, means for moving said gatemeans to permit the balls to fall through said holes, an inclinedrunway-extending transversely of said board and adapted to receive theballs passing through said holes, means adjacent the lower end of saidrunway for elevating the balls one at a time into projecting positionand a cut-off device associated with said gate means and serving whensaid gate means is in hole-opening position, to prevent the passage ofballs down said runway to said elevating means.

11. Game apparatus comprising a board having holes therethrough, meansfor projecting balls over said board, gate means movably mounted beneathsaid board, normally closing said holes, means for moving said gatemeans to permit the balls to fall through said holes, an inclined runwayextending transversely of said board and adapted to receive the ballspassing through said holes, and direct them toward said projectingmeans, and a cut-off device associated with said gate means, andserving, when said gate means is in hole opening position to block thepassage of balls down said runway and thus prevent their return to saidprojecting means.

12. Game apparatus comprising an inclined board having holestherethrough, means for projecting balls over said board, whereby someof the balls enter said holes and others roll to the lower edge of theboard, means below said board for collecting said balls and means forreturning the collected balls to projecting position, said meanscomprising an elevating wheel mounted for rotation on a horizontal axisand having in one face thereof radially inward of the periphery a pocketadapted to receive a ball, said pocket being axially inclined, wherebywhen said pocket is in its lower position, the balls will roll into thesame by gravity, and when in its upper position the contained ball willroll out of said pocket and be discharged laterally.

13. Game apparatus comprising a cabinet, an inclined playing boardwithin said cabinet, means above the board for projecting balls over thesurface of the same, whereby some of said balls may roll to the loweredge of the board, means for collecting said balls below the board, andmeans for returning the collected balls, one at a time, to projectingposition, said means comprising elevating mechanism operating within arecess in one of the side walls of the cabinet, said mechanism havingmeans whereby the balls are discharged laterally from the upper portionthereof.

14. Game apparatus comprising a cabinet, an inclined playing boardwithin said cabinet, means above the board for projecting balls over thesurface ofthe same, whereby some of said balls may roll to the loweredge of the board, means for collecting said balls below the board, andmeans for returning the collected balls, one at a time, to projectingposition, said means comprising an elevating device housed within arecess inone of the side walls of the cabinet, said charged laterallytherefrom, and a removable panel secured to the outside of the saidwall, in which panel said elevating device is mounted.

15. Game apparatus comprising a cabinet, an inclined playing boardwithin said cabinet, means above the board for projecting balls over thesurface of the same, whereby some of said balls may roll to the loweredge of the board, means for collecting said balls below the board, andmeans for returning the collected balls, one at a time, to projectingposition, said means comprising an elevating wheel housed within arecess in one of the side walls of the cabinet and lying substantiallyin the plane thereof, said wheel having a plurality of ball receivingpockets in the inner face thereof, said pockets being arranged tocommunicate, when in their lower position, with said ball collecting mens, to receive balls therefrom, and, when in t eir upper position, todischarge the balls laterally at a point adjacent said projecting means.

16. Game apparatus comprising a board having holes therethrough, meansfor projecting balls one at a time over said board, whereby such ballsenter said holes, gate means movably mounted beneath said board andserving normally to support the balls within said holes, a manuallyactuated, movable member for operating said gate means to release theheld balls, and permit them to fall through said holes, said gate meansbeing normally movable independent of said manually actuated member, andmeans for positively coupling together said manually actuated member andsaid gate means during the latter part of the stroke of the former.

17. Game apparatus comprising an inclined board having holestherethrough, means for projecting balls one at a time over said boardwhereby some of such balls enter said holes, a slidahly mounted gate fortemporarily retaining at the lower edge of the board such balls as donot pass into said holes, a manually operated, slide for operating saidgate, said slide and gate being normally capable of independentmovement, and means brought into operation during the latter part onlyof the stroke of said slide for positively coupling said slide and gatetogether.

18. Game apparatus comprising an inclined board having holestherethrough, means for projecting balls one at a time over said board,an inclined floor beneath said board down which balls passing throughsaid holes roll by gravity, an inclined runway extending transversely ofthe board below and adjacent the lower edge of said floor, means locatedat one side of the board adjacent the lower end of said runway, forelevating the balls into projecting position, and means for deflectingaway from the side of the apparatus adjacent said elevating means theballs rolling down said floor on that side and directing them into thehigher portions of said runway.

19. Game apparatus comprising a board having holes therethrough, meansfor projecting balls over said board, gate means normally closing saidholes, means for moving said gate means to permit the balls to fallthrough said holes, an inclined runway extending transversely of saidboard and adapted to receive the balls passing through said holes, anddirect them toward said projecting means, and a cut-oil? deviceassociated with said gate means, and serving, when said gate means is inhole opening position to block the passage of balls down said runway andthus prevent their return to said projecting means.

20. Game apparatus comprising a board having holes therethrough, meansfor projecting balls over said board, gate means normally closing saidholes, a normally locked, coin-controlled, manu-' ally operated memberfor moving said gate means to permit the balls to fall through saidholes, an

inclined runway extending transversely of said board and adapted toreceive the balls passing through said holes, means adjacent the lowerend of said runway for elevating the balls, one at a time, intoprojecting position, and a cut-ofi device associated with said gatemeans and coincontrolled member and serving, when the latter is shiftedto move said gate means into hole opening position, to prevent thepassage of balls down said runway to said elevating means.

21. Game apparatus comprising an inclined board having ball seatstherein, means for projecting balls over said board toward the upper endthereof, means for retaining near the lower end of the board the ballswhich roll down the same and do not enter said seats, a normally locked,coin-controlled, manually operated member for shifting said retainingmeans to release the balls held thereby, an inclined runway extendingtransversely of said board and into which said balls fall when released,means adjacent the lower end of said runway for elevating the balls, oneat a time, into projecting position, and a cut-off device associatedwith said retaining means and coin-controlled member, and serving, whenthe latter is operated to shift said retaining means to ball releasingposition, to prevent the passage of balls down said runway to saidelevating means.

22. Game apparatus comprising an inclined board having ball seatstherein, means for projecting balls over said board toward the upper endthereof, means for retaining near the lower end of the board the ballswhich roll down the same and do not enter said seats, a normally locked,coin-controlled, manually operated memher for shifting said retainingmeans to release the balls held thereby, an inclined runway extendingtransversely of said board and adapted to receive the released balls anddirect them toward said projecting means, and a cut-off deviceassociated with said retaining means and coin-controlled member, andserving, when the latter is operated to shift said retaining means toball releasing position, to block the passage of balls down said runwayand thus prevent their return to said projecting means.

23. Game apparatus comprising an inclined board down which balls mayroll by gravity, means for projecting balls toward the upper end of saidboard, means for retaining on the board the balls thus projected, amanually operated member for shifting said retaining means to releasethe balls held thereby, an inclined runway extending transversely of theboard and into ARTHUR L. PAULIN. EARL W. FROOM.

